Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, Colorado // May 30, 2023

The Grateful Ed blog is named after the famous jam band, but we love and appreciate all kinds of music. I got a little out of my comfort zone and took in the LCD Soundsystem show at Red Rocks last night whose music is described as dance-punk and dance-rock, electronic rock and electronica, art rock, alternative dance, post-punk revival, and indie rock. Whatever you call it, good music is good music. 

LCD Soundsystem was formed in Brooklyn in 2002 by reluctant rock star James Murphy who only began making his own music when he stopped producing for the band Rapture, and he had nothing else to do. He has said, “I was a singing guitar player as a kid and I found it really embarrassing, so I stopped singing and became a drummer. I mean, who does that? I don’t want to be the singing guitar player who writes all the music – I want to play drums and become an engineer.”

Nonetheless, he’s had a successful career by any measure including multiple Grammy nominations, working with David Bowie and selling out two nights at Red Rocks 21 years after launching the band. The crowd came ready to dance and the setlist didn’t disappoint with all the fan favorites including ‘Daft Punk Is Playing at My House”, “Dance Yrself Clean” and my favorite “oh baby”.

If you’re at all interested in 00’s era music, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Lizzy Goodman’s book “Meet Me In the Bathroom” about the New York scene which prominently features Murphy.